The 9mm gun used to kill Steenkamp lays on a mat in the blood soaked bathroom.South African Police Service

Graphic photos of Oscar Pistorius's blood soaked bathroom, capturing the full horror of Reeva Steenkamp's death, have been released.

The dramatic photos reveal the scene that police officers were met with on arrival at the athlete's villa in Pretoria on February 14, 2013.

Police discovered a pool of blood at the bottom of the stairs, a blood splattered cricket bat and the 9mm pistol the runner used to shoot his model girlfriend, lying on a mat.

A photo of the bare chested athlete splatted with blood.South African Police Service

One of the images shows a bare-chested Pistorius with blood all over his shorts and prosthetic legs shortly after he had killed the 29-year-old.

An image of Steenkamp's blood-covered body was also accidentally shown among the images of the crime scene, causing Pistorius to vomit.

Pistorius, 27, who is the only eyewitness in the case, claims he used the bat to break down the toilet door after he shot his girlfriend, mistaking her for an intruder.

A close up of the blood splattered cricket bat Pistorius used to break down the bathroom door.South African Police Service

He reportedly shot four bullets through the closed door of the toilet cubicle, hitting Steenkamp in the hip, arm and head. It was revealed in court that the black talon bullets were designed to 'expand and mushroom' to inflict maximum damage.

The Paralympic champion was expected to take to the stand last week to testify at the murder trial, but the case was adjourned after one of the judge's two assessors was taken ill and admitted to hospital.

Prosecutors spent 15 days presenting their case, in which they claim the 27-year-old deliberately killed Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year, by firing four rounds from a 9 mm pistol through a closed toilet door after a heated argument.

The testimony includes reports by neighbours, who claim to have heard a woman's terrified screams before a series of gunshots, placing doubt on the athletes claims he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder.

Taking the stand, radiologist Johan Stipp revealed how he ran to the Paralympian's home after hearing gunshots to find Pistorius kneeling next to Reeva Steenkamp and 'praying to God' that she would survive.

The actual bathroom door was brought into court and a forensic analyst staged a dramatic courtroom reconstruction of the moment Pistorius broke down the toilet door with a cricket bat after allegedly shooting Steenkamp.

The court heard that Pistorius had a love for firearms and had once fired his gun out through a sun, roof and on another occasion shot at a traffic light after a dispute with a policeman.

Blue arrows mark the splatters of blood on the walls as Pistorius carried Steenkamp's body down the stairs.South African Police Service

A gun licenser testifies that Pistorius was in the process of buying seven more guns - three shotguns, two revolvers, semi-automatic assault rifle and another self-loading rifle.

The double-amputee faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the premeditated murder of his former lover.

The televised trial has seen the man who was once hailed as a sporting icon, break down weeping and vomiting, as he heard the details of the injuries inflicted upon his girlfriend.

Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and not guilty to three other firearm-related counts.